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Children Need to Practice Good Computer Ergonomics

At least 70 percent of America’s 30 million elementary school students use computers, according to a recent New York Times article. As a result of this increased usage, doctors of chiropractic are treating more young patients suffering from the effects of working at computer stations that are either designed for adults or poorly designed for children. Many children are already suffering from repetitive motion injuries (RMI) such as carpal tunnel syndrome and chronic pain in the hands, back, neck and shoulders.

A recently published study conducted by a team of researchers from Cornell University found that 40 percent of the elementary school children they studied used computer workstations that put them at postural risk. The remaining 60 percent scored in a range indicating “some concern.”

“Emphasis needs to be placed on teaching children how to properly use computer workstations,” stated Dr. Scott Bautch, past president of the American Chiropractic Association’s Council on Occupational Health. “Poor work habits and computer workstations that don’t fit a child’s body during the developing years can have harmful physical effects that can last a lifetime. Parents need to be just as concerned about their children’s interaction with their computer workstations as they are with any activities that may affect their children’s long-term health,” added Dr. Bautch.

What can you do?
To reduce the possibility of your child suffering painful and possibly disabling injuries, the American Chiropractic Association (ACA) and its Council on Occupational Health offer the following tips:

  • If children and adults in your home share the same computer workstation, make certain that the workstation can be modified for each child’s use.
  • Position the computer monitor so the top of the screen is at or below the child’s eye level. This can be accomplished by taking the computer off its base or stand, or having the child sit on firm pillows or phone books to reach the desired height.
  • Make sure the chair at the workstation fits the child correctly. An ergonomic back cushion, pillow or a rolled-up towel can be placed in the small of the child’s back for added back support. There should be two inches between the front edge of the seat and the back of the knees. The chair should have arm supports so that elbows are resting within a 70- to 135-degree angle to the computer keyboard.
  • Wrists should be held in a neutral position while typing – not angled up or down. The mousing surface should be close to the keyboard so your child doesn’t have to reach or hold the arm away from the body.
  • The child’s knees should be positioned at an approximate 90- to 120-degree angle. To accomplish this angle, feet can be placed on a foot rest, box, stool or similar object.
  • Reduce eyestrain by making sure there is adequate lighting and that there is no glare on the monitor screen. Use an antiglare screen if necessary.
  • Limit your child’s time at the computer and make sure he or she takes periodic stretch breaks during computing time. Stretches can include: clenching hands into fists and moving them in 10 circles inward and 10 circles outward; placing hands in a praying position and squeezing them together for 10 seconds and then pointing them downward and squeezing them together for 10 seconds; spreading fingers apart and then closing them one by one; standing and wrapping arms around the body and turning all the way to the left and then all the way to the right.
  • Your child’s muscles need adequate hydration to work properly and avoid injury. Encourage your child to drink four 8-ounce glasses of water a day. Carbonated beverages, juices and other sweet drinks are not a substitute.
  • Urge your child’s school or PTA officials to provide education on correct computer ergonomics and to install ergonomically correct workstations.

 Let us know of any questions and to book an appointment to have us assess the health of your child’s spine.

Original article from The American Chiropractic Association

Chiropractic Patients Less Likely to Undergo Lumbar Surgery

A study in the medical journal Spine found a strong association between chiropractic care and the avoidance of lumbar spine surgery. The American Chiropractic Association is encouraged by this and other recent research supporting chiropractic’s conservative, less costly approach to low-back pain.

Key findings of the Spine study show that:

  • Approximately 43 percent of patients who saw a surgeon first had surgery
  • Only 1.5 percent of those who saw a chiropractor first ended up having surgery

Two additional studies reinforce ACA’s longstanding position that health care providers should start with conservative approaches to treatment, such as the services provided by doctors of chiropractic, before guiding their patients to less conservative alternatives. Such an approach benefits patients and cuts health care spending—especially for a condition as common as low-back pain.

“As governments and health systems around the globe search for answers to complicated health challenges such as rising numbers of chronically ill and disabled patients and runaway costs, research is finally demonstrating what the chiropractic profession has promoted for years: that caring for patients with conservative treatments first, before moving on to less conservative options or unnecessary drugs and surgery, is a sensible and cost-effective strategy,” said ACA President Keith Overland, DC.

Original Article

Boys With ADHD May Become Obese Adults

Boys with ADHD may be at risk for obesity later in life, according to a new study.

Researchers at NYU’s Langone Medical Center have been following more than 200 kids for four decades. They found those who had ADHD in their early years were twice as likely to be obese at age 41.

“This study was started by Dr. Rachel Klein in 1970, and it involved a number of waves of evaluation, during which the results of having hyperactivity in childhood were assessed,” said Dr. F. Xavier Castellanos, a professor of child and adolescent psychiatry at NYU and one of the study authors.

Other experts say while this correlation appears to be strong, more research needs to be done.

“The sample size was relatively small, and they only looked at white men,” said CNN.com expert Dr. Jennifer Shu, a spokeswoman for the American Academy of Pediatrics. “That said, their conclusion summed it up nicely: people need to be aware that having childhood ADHD may put them at risk for later obesity.”

CNN Article

Did you know Chiropractic adjustments have been shown to help those with ADHD? More to come in the next post.

Sitting is the new smoking…

“Prolonged sitting is not what nature intended for us,” says Dr. Camelia Davtyan, clinical professor of medicine and director of women’s health at theUCLA Comprehensive Health Program.

“The chair is out to kill us,” says James Levine, an endocrinologist at the Mayo Graduate School of Medicine.

The human body was designed for walking, and people did a whole lot of that for millenniums. But lately, not so much. In general, scientists believe, most people now sit for more than half of their waking hours. Sadly, the sitting position exerts forces on the body that it’s not built to accommodate, Davtyan says, and so, as comfy as it may seem, couch potato-hood can lead to a host of woes, including poor circulation and assorted aches and pains.

Sitting at your desk for hours on end, slaving away diligently, can increase your chances of getting a promotion – but also diabetes, heart disease or even an early grave. A study published in the journal Diabetologia in November 2012 analyzed the results of 18 studies with a total of nearly 800,000 participants. When comparing people who spent the most time sitting with those who spent the least time, researchers found increases in the risks of diabetes (112%), cardiovascular events (147%), death from cardiovascular causes (90%) and death from all causes (49%).

“Sitting is the new smoking,” says Anup Kanodia, a physician and researcher at the Center for Personalized Health Care at Ohio State University’s Wexner Medical Center. As evidence, he cites an Australian study published in October 2012 in the British Journal of Sports Medicine that compared the two pastimes. Every hour of TV that people watch, presumably while sitting, cuts about 22 minutes from their life span, the study’s authors calculated.

The good news is that another showed that simply going for a two-minute walk every 20 minutes can greatly reduce the risk of sitting.

So stay active and keep moving during your day.

Original Report

Physically Active Kids Make For Happier Adults

Depression is a significant health issue for several different reasons.

Now here’s some good news: A study published in the British Journal of Psychiatry suggests physical activity, particularly early in life, may help reduce the risk of depression later. Specifically, the study found that “lower cardiovascular fitness at age 18 was associated with increased risk of serious depression in adulthood.” Study participants were followed for up to 40 years, strengthening the study’s finding that early cardiovascular fitness can have a long-term impact on depression risk throughout adulthood.

Physical activity has also been associated with a reduced risk of depression in general because exercise encourages the production / release of endorphins, the body’s “feel good” chemicals, while reducing production of cortisol and other “stress” hormones.

Remember, it’s never too early – or too late – to start exercising. Your body and mind will thank you for it.

Original Study

How Can Chiropractic Help – from University of Minnesota

Several academic organizations and government organizations recognize and support Chiropractic.

University of Minnesota has a great page about Chiropractic.

Most often, people go to chiropractors the first time for relief from back pain. But chiropractors treat a broad range of complaints, from back and neck pain to headaches, arthritis and more. Moreover, people don’t need to have a specific complaint to benefit from a visit. Chiropractors also focus on on-going preventive and wellness care. Chiropractic care is effective for people of all ages, from infants to the elderly.

The article goes into depth about the benefits of Chiropractic and who can benefit from Chiropractic. Be sure to check it out and send it to those who have questions about Chiropractic.

Chiropractic Care Relieves Severe Facial Pain

Trigeminal Neuralgia is a severe condition in which a large nerve in your head becomes irritated and can cause severe pain. It is a devastating problem, and fortunately Chiropractic adjustments to the neck have been shown to help.

A 58 year-old female who had been diagnosed with trigeminal neuralgia six years prior by a neurologist, sought Chiropractic care. She had been taking anticonvulsive medication to control the painful attacks which occurred above her right eye, but when they were no longer effective, she felt it was time to try something new.

She began a course of corrective Chiropractic care, and after nine weeks she reported improvement in symptomatic complaints and had not experienced an attack of trigeminal neuralgia.

Original Study

Sit Up Straight Now To Be A Healthy, Independent Senior

The shape of an older person’s spine may predict their future need for home assistance or admission to a nursing home, according to a new study.

The study included more than 800 people aged 65 and older in Japan, who had their spinal posture assessed. It was found that seniors with an increase in the curve in their thoracic spine (area between your shoulders), suffered from the greatest degree of disability.

Over four and a half years, about 16 percent of the participants became dependent on help for basic daily activities. Those with the greatest curve in the thoracic spine were about three and a half times more likely to become dependent on help for basic daily activities than those with the least spinal inclination.

Original Study

Chiropractic adjustments keep your spinal joints moving freely, allowing you to sit up properly and keep a flexible spine well into your senior years. Being adjusted is the perfect way to ensure spinal flexibility and vibrant senior years!

Walk, or Run, to Lower Heart Disease Risk: Benefits Are Similar

A brisk walk may be just as good as a run for keeping the the heart healthy.

Researchers studied 33,060 runners who were participating in the National Runners’ Health Study and 15,045 walkers enrolled in the National Walkers’ Health Study over six years. All the participants were between the ages of 18 to 80, with most in their 40s and 50s. The exercises answered questionnaires about their physical activity, and the researchers calculated how much energy they expended based on the distance the volunteers reported walking or running. They also recorded any doctor-diagnosed heart conditions.

Although walking isn’t as intense as running, the study authors say both target the same muscle groups, which could explain why their results in improving heart health are so similar. The results suggest that the type of exercise may not be as important as how much people walk or run.

Time Article